The Guardians and the Orioles played at Camden Yards on April 16th. In the top of the eighth, the Guardians had the bases loaded and one out when Ángel Martínez, facing Yennier Canó, hit a tapper back to the mound. Canó flipped the ball underhand to catcher Adley Rutschman for the force. Rutschman then fired to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle who could not secure the ball. But plate umpire Will Little called Martínez, out for running out of the Runner’s Lane and impeding Mountcastle.

Ruleball Comments

• In my opinion Little made the proper batter-runner interference call because Martínez was running in the grass on the fair side of the foul line.
• This past season (2024) the 45-foot long, 3-foot wide, Runner’s Lane was widened on the fair side of the first baseline to the grass. This gave the batter-runner more space to avert a batter-runner interference call because he had a wider lane.
• Running on the dirt is good, grass is bad.
• Prior to 2024, the right-handed batter was required to cross over into the Runner’s Lane to avoid interfering with the play. This was problematic because the RHB was not able to run in a straight line to the base. Therefore, it was common for the RHB to ignore the rule and run on the dirt on the fair side of the first baseline which would put him in jeopardy of being called out for batter-runner interference if the defensive team did not complete the play by registering the putout.
• The Runner’s Lane has never been as restrictive for left-handed batters because they have a more direct path to first base and could easily remain in the Runner’s Lane box. Yet, on occasion the left-handed batters were called for interference as well.
  In the above play, in my opinion, there is no excuse for Martínez, a LHB, to be running in the grass area between home and first because he had a direct path to first base from the batter’s box. Because the O’s did not complete the play for the putout, Little properly invoked rule 5.09 (a) (11) and called Martínez out for batter-runner interference.
• This Type of interference is avoidable.
• The above play was interesting because there was an intervening play when Canó tossed to Rutschman for the force out. If the runner coming home was safe, the run would score even though Martínez committed batter-runner interference unless the interference was the third out of the inning.
• There was a danger of a collision between Martínez and Mountcastle.
• I know I am in the minority on this but for late developing plays at first base, to avoid injury, I would have the right-handed first baseman take the throw from the stretch position. This will keep the first baseman’s glove hand and arm free from contact with the batter-runner. The other option is to step out to receive the throw and then step on the base. By using that strategy, the right-handed first baseman is essentially receiving the throw like the left-handed first baseman would.

Rich Marazzi

Rules consultant/analyst: Angels, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, YES, and Chicago Sports Network